A/N: There is a reason I haven't been including much of Lucas's perspective… see if you guessed it right. Some of you have smart brain cells and were able to pick it out. For you, a free freshly baked, out of the internet cookie. They are chocolate chip. :)

(Last time in Iridescence)

He was such a good kisser, which she knew could only be granted by experience. Girlfriend. Lucas had a girlfriend.

"Lucas, wait," she pushed him away slightly.

"What's wrong? Are we going to fast?" he asked, a concerned expression lurking on his face.

She smiled. "No, that's not it." She put some distance between the two of them. "You have a girlfriend, Lucas. Back in Texas." He shook his head, leaning to kiss her neck slowly.

"No," he whispered sending shivers up her spine. "I ended things with her last week."

"Really?" Riley asked, relief saturating her body.

"There's only you," he repeated, returning his lips to their rightful place against hers.

X

"So I was thinking, Central Park has an outdoor movie marathon of the Jurassic movies this weekend, and that it would be fun if we could go," Riley said.

Lucas's smile slowly faded. "I uh, I won't be around this weekend," he told her. She looked over a him. "I'm going camping, with some friends," he said. Guilt seething his words.

"Oh," Riley replied, feeling disappointed that he wouldn't be there all weekend.

"You know if I was around that I would want to be around you," Lucas added. "The football team is having a sort of team bonding trip," he said, lying straight to her face. He hoped that she would feel less left out if he told her that.

Riley smiled. "You're having guy time," she said. "And what do you guys to when you go camping?" she asked, gripping her backpack straps with her hands, pulling the bag tighter against her.

Lucas shrugged, starting to believe his own lie as he answered her. "Fishing. Messing around. Sitting 'round the campfire telling stories," he replied.

Chapter 13: Storyteller

It was early Saturday morning when Lucas got up. He hadn't even been getting up that early when he was working at home on the ranch and doing chores. And those mornings were early.

Lucas finished packing his car with his suit case and made sure he had his passport and wallet. He was ready to head off back to Texas and take care of some unfinished business, although he didn't want to leave Riley in New York.

Or maybe he didn't want to leave Riley with the lie he told. Either way, he was conflicted. But people were expecting him and he had a plane to catch.

This was the way things had to be done, one lie more lie to correct the first lie. Two lies to spare the feelings of the girl he cared for.

Things were more than complicated at the moment, but tomorrow, no matter what happened that night, things would be better. He know that. He was no longer a coward.

Lucas left a note on the refrigerator for his parents, telling them goodbye and that he would see them the following day. His parents knew he was heading back to Texas and had actually encouraged it. Back in Texas it was Homecoming weekend, and more than one of his friends had invited him back to join the festivities. But that wasn't really why he was going. Lucas's parent's were aware of the uprooting they insinuated on Lucas's life when they decided to move across the country, so they actually offered to pay for the round trip back to Texas upon request.

He started his car, preparing for a long day, and pulled out his cell phone, intending to text Riley, telling her that he'd pick her up on Monday morning, he had the message all typed out and was ready to press send when he thought against it. He'd see her in a few days, and everything would be fine. She would never have to know that anything had happened.

X

Lucas lifted his backpack up onto his shoulder turned away form the baggage claim. He spotted his entourage, and grinned. It was like things had never changed.

"FRAIR!" Lucas's best friend, Zay Babineaux yelled from across the terminal. The boy's met in the middle exchanging a friendly man hug.

"How you doing Zay? Thanks for meeting me here!"

"I'm doing good now, my best friends back from the concrete jungle and I don't see any obvious reasons that I should be concerned about his well being," Zay eyed Lucas carefully, making him laugh. Lucas shoved Zay. "Yup, you really have survived New York."

"Shut up," Lucas said.

"On come on," Zay replied, as they walked out of the airport terminal out into the fresh Texas morning air. "You're gone for an entire month, can't a guy miss his best friend?"

"I missed you too buddy. And I wish I was hanging around longer, but I've got some business to take care of, and then I'm gone."

"At least stay around for the party after homecoming tonight. And you gotta watch the game, we're still recovering from the loss of our quarterback," this time Zay shoved Lucas. "But that's not to say we haven't found a new all-star, because we have and he's going to bring us to state this year."

"Oh yeah? Who's that?" Lucas chuckled.

"Yours truly," Zay flaunted, grabbing his collar and showing off his swagger.

"You're kidding? Dude that's awesome." Pleasantly surprised, Lucas always knew that Zay was capable of a position such as quarterback and suddenly felt guilty for always standing in his way. The guilt really wouldn't quit it today. "But I don't know if I'll really be welcome for the game," Lucas told him.

Zay laughed. "Yeah right. Everybody's excited to see you."

"I've got to break up with Brianne," Lucas told him. Suddenly, Zay stopped walking and turned to him, cracking a smile.

"Really?" Zay opened up the door of his dark blue rusty pickup truck, standing up on the step, looking over at Lucas on the other side. Lucas wasn't smiling.

"Yeah…" Lucas replied sceptically.

Zay whistled lowly, and slid into his seat, starting the truck. "Then maybe you're right. It's a good thing I'm having the party, maybe we can convince her not to come by."

"You really think so? She's a cheerleader dude, of course she'll be there."

"Right, well, it was wishful thinking. Why the cold feet? You two were practically Texas's golden couple. A lot of people thought you would go the distance."

A sour look arrived on Lucas's face and Zay had to laugh. "People need to mind their own business. You know, long distance relationships are tough, and her parent's really pushed for us to be together. I'm more worried about how they will take it."

"And…" Zay added obviously suggesting something

"What?"

"And you met someone else. Who is she?"

He nearly froze, not being abel to believe he was so transparent. "What'da you know?" Lucas tried, his southern accent showing through. Lucas's face heated up in frustration. How on earth was he going to be able to get through the day and explain to Brianne what was going on if Zay could see through him so clearly.

Zay snickered. "I know you, there's someone else, and she's changed you."

"She has?" Lucas asked. Had Riley really changed him? Sure, her optimism and smile was beyond enchanting. Riley was beyond smart and gorgeous. That first night they had met Lucas experienced a wonder he never had before, and a spark was ignited in his soul.

"Hah!" Zay laughed. "You just admitted there was a she. You're different though man, I can't explain it, you just are."

"Hmm," Lucas mumbled.

"Who is she?"

Lucas didn't say anything for a moment, contemplating. He couldn't think of a reason not to tell him. "Her name is Riley."

"You found yourself a city girl?"

"She's not like the rest Zay, she's special, she's got this amazing smile, she's always laughing about something. She's got her issues, sure, but they've made her who she is and I wouldn't change a thing." Zay looked at Lucas with a serious expression, watching him carefully. "What?" Lucas asked.

"Do you hear yourself? Did you get that line out of a hallmark card, dude, that was poetic."

"I don't really know what you mean…"

Zay shook his head. "You're gone for a month and you go and fall in love with a girl," he said to himself.

Lucas chuckled. "I'm not-"

"You are.

X

"Okay, I'm going to give you twenty minutes. If you aren't out of that house in that amount of time, I'm calling the cops dude, because that means her dad is murdering you, got it?"

"You have zero faith in me. What happened?" Lucas tried to lighten the mood. He knew that Zay was only partly joking and both of them knew what Brianne's father was capable of. He was the President of the community's Sport Shooting and Game Club after all and he could definitely operate a gun.

"You cheated man, that's what happened. You know she loved you," Zay looked at him, his expression changing slightly.

Lucas slouched down in his seat, sighing; he hated being reminded and he hated that word - cheater - it was what he was now. Lucas never meant to be a cheater, he really was a good person, sometimes things just got out of hand. Sometime people just crept up behind you and took your breath away. Sometimes people just met Riley.

"I know that she deserves better than someone like me, which is why I am doing this. Zay, when I am gone again, can you just watch out for her and make sure she's okay?"

Zay smiled. "You asked me the same thing when you left the first time. You know I will."

"Thank man. You're a better man than I could ever be." Zay tried to smile, but settled for a half effort nod. "Well here I go," Lucas took in another deep inhale, preparing himself. This had to happen.

"Good luck," Zay shouted as Lucas mounted the front porch steps up to Brianne's house.

He hesitated briefly, before knocking on the door, and cursed himself for being such a coward. The door finally swung open after two minutes, and right before Lucas was considering giving up.

"Lucas is that you?" Brianne's mother squealed, giving him a massive hug. Her apron was covered in flour from baking, but she always was a hugger.

"Julia," Lucas said politely, hugging her back. "it's nice to see you again."

"You as well. We weren't aware that you were going to be back in town."

"A few of the boys invited me back for homecoming," Lucas explained. "And I missed my girl," he said, immediately picking up his old habits.

Julia gushed. "She's upstairs in her room working on some homework. Why don't you go surprise her?"

"Thanks Julia," he replied, entering the house and ascending the stairs.

Lucas found his heart pounding as he walked up the stairs to his girlfriends bedroom. Of course Lucas missed her, but less for the reasons he expected to in the beginning. Lucas did love Brianne, but as more of a best friend now than anything more.

He lightly tapped on her door, turning the handle.

"Luke!?" Brianne gasped, facing towards him on her desk chair, he strawberry blonde hair flying behind her. "Oh my god! Luke!" she squealed and ran across the room, wrapping her arms around the boy she's known since she was a little girl.

"Hey Bri," Lucas said shyly into her ears, this was not going to be an easy task at all.

"I didn't know you were coming?" she pulled back at sat down on her bed. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming? How long are you staying?"

"Woah, Bri, slow down on the questions," he told her chuckling.

"And why haven't I heard from you in almost three weeks?" she asked taking a step back, crossing her arms and frowning. She looked back at her calendar placed strategically above her desk ignoring him completely. "I was starting to wonder if you'd forgotten I existed."

"Look Bri-"

"It doesn't really matter I guess," she said with a sigh, southern accent handy, retreating backwards. Lucas shook his head and grabbed her hands.

"Bri, it does matter! There is a reason I haven't been calling you back." Lucas begged her to listen. Brianne offered a smile as a truce, and waved him off.

"No, Luke, it's seriously alright, to be fair, I haven't been calling you either. It's on both of us."

Silence became of the two teenagers, both of them secretly knowing what had to be said. They turned to each other, each with an apologetic look.

"I met another girl," Lucas told her.

"I think we should break up," Brianne said at the same moment with straight face, not faltered by what Lucas had just admitted.

"What?" they both said at the same time again.

Brianne laughed. "Lucas," she said softly, hint of a smile bearing, "You met a girl?"

"How mad are you?"

Brianne pondered, looking out her window for a moment, asking herself just that. "Not mad, actually I don't even feel betrayed. You've been my best friend for as long as I can remember. I'm not worried that we are going to lose each other. But Lucas that is why we need to breakup. We've lost our spunk. It doesn't even hurt that you met someone new. In fact, strangely, I feel excited for you."

Lucas didn't know what to say.

"Luke, I love you, and I will always love you. But it's not the same anymore. You know it, I know you know it. We always had a lot of pressure on us to be perfect. And that's not what we want anymore. We both know neither of us are perfect."

"We aren't perfect."

"No we are not," Brianne confirmed, she pulled out some papers off of her desk. "I applied to a nursing program in California and they are prepared to offer me a full time scholarship if I join their cheer team. I want to be a nurse, Luke. I figured out exactly what I wanted."

"That sounds amazing. I sounds perfect for you." Lucas told her, reaching out for her hand, cradling it in his. This was why they got along so well. They were calm and Lucas needed calm. Brianne looked down at their hands and smiled.

"You are such a good person Luke, I am not worried about you. I know that you were not trying to hurt me, you would never do that. Sometimes things just happen. And we are not meant to happen."

Lucas nodded, and let go of her hand

"So what now?"

"Are you coming to homecoming?"

"I don't know."

"You should. Everybody misses you, and it would be really great if you came by." Lucas thought for a moment, looking out her bedroom window that he had looked out hundreds of times before. The wind pushed the branches of the tree slowly to the south, whisking away a few coloured red and orange leaves along with it. It was all too familiar.

"You're right. I might as well enjoy my time here if I am going to be here until tomorrow."

"i am so glad," she grinned.

x

"Dude, what the hell happened in there? I didn't think you were coming back alive," Zay asked wide eyed and worried. Lucas chuckled in spite of himself and leaned against the back of his seat. His mind and heart finally felt at ease.

"After Bri and I talked, her mom caught her walking me out and wanted to talk as well. And you know Julia, I think I broke Julia's heart more than Bri's. Bri seemed fine with it. In fact, she suggested we break up," Lucas explained.

Zay just nodded impassively, starting up the truck engine once again, and shifting the gears to drive.

"She's going to study in California next year anyways, I'll be back here or in New York, but I won't be in California. It was never going to work out for us."

"And now you don't have to worry about upsetting your girl back home and you can finally go after her."

"Yeah," Lucas let out a breath he didn't even realize he was holding in. "Finally…"

"What did you tell your girl back in the city?" Zay asked curiously, driving towards his farm. Lucas couldn't meet Zay's eyes, and shrugged.

"She thinks I broke up with Brianne weeks ago actually," forfeiting a wince at the end of his sentence.

"Dude," Zay drew out, shaking his head. "I hope you aren't making lying a permanent solution to all of your problems."

"Look, I had to lie, okay, I couldn't hurt either of them, and now I don't have to. I am fixing a lie with one other lie, that is all. Okay?" Lucas snapped letting his anger get the better of him and his old habits break loose.

"You've only been in Texas for a few hours and you're already on edge," Zay commented, not putting up with any of Lucas's crap. Lucas unclenched his fists, sliding in his seat slightly and rolling the window down on his door. He ignored his best friend and enjoyed the smell of the fresh country air his missed so much.

x

Back in New York, the world was once again all smiles and rainbows for Riley Matthews as she sat across from Maya laughing over a cup of tea in the back of her mother's bakery. They sat on the carpet amongst the first edition books, Riley mindlessly flipping the pages of Pride and Prejudice, a book she's read a hundred times, relieving each and every moment over again just like it was the first time. Maya had her sketch book placed on her lap, her charcoal pencil working effortlessly to sculpt Riley's face.

"Something on you're mind Riley?" Maya asked, looking up to see Riley looking off across the bakery at seemingly nothing.

"What?" Riley asked, slowly turning her head back to Maya. "Did I mess up your sketch?"

"No, you're fine, you just seemed like you were off in a different world for a moment there."

"I just drifted to Rileytown again," she shrugged, then pointed hesitantly across the room. "Do you see that man?" she asked. Maya followed her gaze to an elderly man sitting by himself flipping through the daily newspaper, while sipping at a cup of coffee. "He comes here every day, at the exact same time. He used to come with his wife up until the middle of last summer, now, he's all alone."

"That's kind of sad," Maya commented, frowning.

"I don't think so. I think it's quite beautiful actually. I served him and his wife a few times and they are wonderful people. he continues their tradition even though she's gone. Every once and a while though, you can see a genuine smile on his face or hear him chuckle and you know that he's thinking about her."

Maya had to chuckled. "Leave it to you, Riles."

"It's not that Maya, it's envy. I want that. I want a lifetime of love, and guarantee," Riley sighed. "I want what they had, something worth fighting for."

"What about Lucas?"

"What about him?"

"Is he worth fighting for?" Maya asked, flipping her pencil in her hands.

Riley looked back at the old man, and pursed her lips. "Lucas is Lucas. He's there, but I still feel that I don't know all of him. I want to trust him, I do, but…"

"You won't let yourself," Maya finished for her. "I get that."

"I'm worried that the moment I let myself trust him, it's the moment that I'll fall in love with him, and that's hard to recover from."

"Being in love isn't a disease, Riley. It's a beautiful thing, and as much as you want to regret it when it ends, you can't, because it's beautiful and in the end, you grow as a person," Maya said without making eye contact with Riley, maintaining her glare at her book.

"Maya…" Riley tried, putting a hand on her best friend's shin.

"Don't Riley. I still don't want to talk about it."

"But when you do-"

"I know," Maya smiled. "You'll be here."

"You better believe it," Riley grinned, looking back out at the bakery, and all of the customers. "Hey… isn't that…" Riley began to pat Maya's leg vigorously. "Maya, it's that the guy… Matt?"

"Ugh, don't remind me. Ew, it is him," Maya groaned watching the boy choose from the menu and hand some cash to the cashier. "That part of my life is long gone. I can't believe I slept with him." Maya tore her eyes away from the boy who took her innocence.

"He plays on the football team, doesn't he?" Riley asked quietly.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure he does," Maya replied dismissively, looking away from the boy, and back to Riley, who suddenly seemed like she had just seen a ghost. Maya quickly put two and two together, and shook her head. No, Lucas wouldn't lie. "Wait, you don't think…"

"I do think," Riley said quickly, standing up quickly and setting the book on the floor.

"Riley, wait, don't you think, maybe something are better off not knowing- well okay…" Maya said watching her best friend dash across the bakery.

Riley got in line behind Matt, trying to make it look like mere coincidence. The cashier handed Matt his sandwich and Matt thanked her, and turned around, nearly colliding with Riley. Riley took it upon herself to let out a small gasp.

His face lit up. "Oh hey, Matthews," he grinned. Since Lucas had joined the team, the rest of the players respected Riley more than they had before. In fact, she got along with the majority of them when the time called for it.

"Oh hey Matt, how are you?" Riley asked innocently, smiling sweetly.

"Pretty good, I'm just on my lunch break right now, and Topanga's makes a great BLT, how are you?"

"Great," she forced. "You're working today then? No football this weekend?"

"We don't have football on Saturdays," Matt replied."

"No? That's nice for you. You guys don't go camping or team bonding on your time off?"

Matt laughed, and Riley shifted under the pressure. "I can't even imagine what it would be life if the team went camping, that wouldn't be bonding, trust me, no one wants to see our team camping in the wilderness."

Riley forced a laugh, a listened to him finish a story, nodding at appropriate times, trying to stay calm. If Lucas lied to her, he must have had a good reason. Then why was just standing there making her feel sick to her stomach. And more importantly, why was she defending him? Riley eventually said goodbye, and walked back to Maya, with a heavy heart.

Maya stood up immediately placing her art supplies on the floor, worry written on her face waiting for an update. "He lied," Riley said weakly. "Lucas lied."

"Oh honey." Riley didn't mean to, but the tear that slipped down her cheek was enough of a tell. She had trusted him. All along, Lucas had gained her trust and ripped it from her, just like that. That's when her sadness turned to anger, promises destroyed and she wouldn't admit it, but heart broken.

She looked up at Maya with an indifferent look. Maya extended her arms for a hug, but Riley shook her head, wiping the tear away from her face.

"This is different Maya. I won't cry over a boy. Not again."

"So what would you like to do," Maya asked, with scepticism, arching an eye brow.

"Matt said one of his buddies was having a party tonight. I want to go," Riley said firmly, eyes on the book, lying upside down on the floor, opened to the page she left her mark on. "I want to dress up, look pretty, get a little tipsy and forget about Lucas. We can ask Farkle to come again. Please just let me have this. I was there for you with that whole Josh thing. Can you do this for me?"

"That's what you want to do?" Maya asked, still unsure of what was happening. She had never experienced a world where Riley was the one to suggest a party, and she wasn't sure how to handle it.

Riley bent down to pick up the book. The tale that once made her believe in love, and closed it firmly, placing it back on the shelf, vowing never to pick it up again.

"That's what I want," Riley confirmed.

A/N: Riley is reacting… what is going to happen next? And Lucas, my boy, what a mess you've gotten yourself into.